"For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him,'What have you done?'" Daniel 4:34b-35

About Me

Married to Lisa (fine as wine and just my kind) three sons: Kristopher(16) Kyle(13), Karson(5)and Kameron(11mos). I grew up in the Bronx, N.Y. Big Yankees (Can you say:27 World Championships"?) and Giants fan. Attended the University of Georgia, played football, pledged Omega Psi Phi. I am an airline pilot currently living in Covington, Georgia.

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Friday, October 26, 2007

The Subtle Sinfulness of Silence: The Remix

My regular readers will recognize that I have used the title of this post previously. I have been blogging for just over a year now, and I really thought "The Subtle Sinfulness of Silence" was one of my more original posts. Well, I have found that this is not truly the case.

I have just begun reading the indisputably classic Christian work "The City of God " by one of Church history's most revered fathers, Saint Augustine. In the very first chapter of this masterpiece I have discovered that my previous post was definitely not original and that it certainly was not the most thorough treatment of this topic. I imagine that if he were still among us former vice-presidential candidate, Lloyd Bentsen might comment," Mr. Tolbert, I served with Saint Augustine, I knew Saint Augustine, Saint Augustine was a friend of mine. Mr. Tolbert, you are no Saint Augustine".

For those unfamiliar with this seminal work, "The City of God" was Saint Augustine's apologetic for Christianity in the wake of the fall of Rome. It seems that blame for this great catastrophe was placed on Christians by the pagan citizens of this once great empire. They believed that their gods were punishing them because the Roman Christians refused to make sacrifices to their false deities. Saint Augustine authored "The City of God" in order to refute this false accusation. He argued the point that it was only the grace and mercy of the God of Christianity that Rome stood as long as it did (note to the pagans of the USA: those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it!)

Section nine of the opening book of "The City of God", is entitled: "Of the Reasons for Administering Correction to Bad and Good Together". In this section, Saint Augustine reprimands Christians for remaining silent while their countrymen fall into sin. It is this section that put my little diatribe to shame.

"For often we wickedly blind ourselves to the occasions of teaching and admonishing them, sometimes even of reprimanding and chiding them, either because we shrink from the labour or are ashamed to offend them, or because we fear to lose good friendships, lest this should stand in the way of our advancement, or injure us in some worldly matter, which either our covetous disposition desires to obtain, or our weakness shrinks from losing . . . If any one forbears to reprove and find fault with those who are doing wrong, because he seeks a more seasonable opportunity, or because he fears they may be made worse by his rebuke, or that other weak persons may be disheartened from endeavouring to lead a good and pious life, and may be driven from the faith; this man's omission seems to be occasioned not by covetousness, but by a charitable consideration. But what is blameworthy is, that they who themselves revolt from the conduct of the wicked, and live in quite another fashion, yet spare those faults in other men which they ought to reprehend and wean them from; and spare them because they fear to give offence, lest they should injure their interests in those things which good men may innocently and legitimately use- though they use them more greedily than becomes persons who are strangers in this world, and profess the hope of a heavenly country . . . do often take thought of their own safety and good name, and abstain from finding fault with the wicked, because they fear their wiles and violence. And although they do not fear them to such an extent as to be drawn to the commission of like iniquities, nay, not by any threats or violence soever; yet those very deeds which they refuse to share in the commission of, they often decline to find fault with, when possibly they might by finding fault prevent their commission. They abstain from interference, because they fear that, if it fail of good effect, their own safety or reputation may be damaged or destroyed; not because they see that their preservation and good name are needful, that they may be able to influence those who need their instruction, but rather because they weakly relish the flattery and respect of men, and fear the judgments of the people, and the pain or death of the body; that is to say, their non- intervention is the result of selfishness and not of love".

"They are punished together, not because they have spent an equally corrupt life, but because the good as well as the wicked, though not equally with them, love this present life; while they ought to hold it cheap, that the wicked, being admonished and reformed by their example, might lay hold of life eternal. These selfish persons have more cause to fear than those to whom it was said through the prophet, 'He is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.' For watchmen or overseers of the people are appointed in churches that they may unsparingly rebuke sin. Nor is that man guiltless of the sin we speak of, who, though he be not a watchman, yet sees in the conduct of those with whom the relationships of this life bring him into contact, many things that should be blamed, and yet overlooks them, fearing to give offence, and lose such worldly blessings as may legitimately be desired, but which he too eagerly grasps".

Please don't get me wrong. I am not saying that our family and friends who sit under false teachers are "wicked" or that they don't have eternal life. Only God knows the heart of man. He knows who truly are His. But when a person places his faith more in a man's teaching than in the Word of God; or gives his pastor more praise than he does to his supposed Savior, there is sufficient warrant for concern regarding that man's salvation. I say, we (after having thoroughly examined ourselves-II Cor. 13:5) must err on the side of caution. We must tell them the truth . . . in love. That is, if you do love them.

It is clear that Saint Augustine was exhorting Christians to be more God-honoring and bold by confronting the pagans in their midst. This directive is even more valid in our present age. The most regrettable fact today, however, is that it seems to be more necessary within the Body of Christ(?). Those of us who have been graced to receive the Holy Spirit's gift of discernment and can see through the shenanigans of the Osteens, the Bynums, the Dollars, et al, must be more faithful to tell the truth to out family and friends who are blinded by the bat-guano that these false teachers are peddling.

If we refuse to do so, according to Saint Augustine (and Scripture backs him up), it is an indication that we also love this present life a tad too much, not holding it as "cheap" as we should.

Will they call you arrogant? You betcha! Will they say you are jealous? Count on it!Will they cease fellowship with you? Quite possibly. Will they change? Not necessarily. The mere fact that these questions disturb us is evidence that Augustine was right about us. If the praise and favor of men holds that great a sway over us in this transient vapor of a life perhaps it is us who need to know the truth.

"Stand There's a cross for you to bear Things to go through if you're going anywhere Stand For the things you know are right It s the truth that the truth makes them so uptight Stand All the things you want are real You have you to complete and there is no deal Stand. stand, stand Stand. stand, stand Stand You've been sitting much too long There's a permanent crease in your right and wrong Stand There's a midget standing tall And the giant beside him about to fall Stand. stand, stand Stand. stand, stand Stand They will try to make you crawl And they know what you're saying makes sense and all Stand Don't you know that you are free Well at least in your mind if you want to be

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Say 'ello to the Good Guys: Part III

I must immediately issue an apology to this weeks featured teacher. When I began this series of posts I stated that each of these teachers were "white". Well, Dr Ravi Zacharias is definitely not caucasian, he is of Asian descent. My apologies to Dr. Zacharias.

Dr. Ravi Zacharias is a profound apologist for the Christian faith. I was first introduced to him via radio on Dr. James Dobson's program, "Focus on the Family" in 1992. This program featured Dr. Zacharias' sermon, "I, Isaac, Take You, Rebecca". This sermon was particularly profound for me at that time because I was just a few short months away from marrying my lovely wife, Lisa. The impact of this sermon still resounds with me today after fifteen years of marriage and I try to remember to give a copy of it to anyone I know who is contemplating this huge step.

Dr. Zacharias is a prodigious thinker and a sincere lover of God's truth. I highly recommend his book "Jesus Among Other Gods"; and you must get your hands on his lecture "The Uniqueness of Christ" (his dismantling of a college professor who holds to the Eastern philosophy of the "both/and" is worth the price of the recording!)

For thirty-four years Ravi Zacharias has spoken all over the world and in numerous universities, notably Harvard, Princeton, and Oxford University. He has addressed writers of the peace accord in South Africa, President Fujimori's cabinet and parliament in Peru, and military officers at the Lenin Military Academy and the Center for Geopolitical Strategy in Moscow. He has been privileged to bring the main address at the National Day of Prayer in Washington, DC, an event endorsed and co-hosted by President George W. Bush, and at the Pentagon. Additionally, Mr. Zacharias has spoken twice at the Annual Prayer Breakfast at the United Nations in New York, which marks the beginning of the UN session each year, and at the invitation of the President of Nigeria, he addressed the delegates at the First Annual Prayer Breakfast for African Leaders, held in Mozambique.

Mr. Zacharias was born in India in 1946 and immigrated to Canada with his family twenty years later. While pursuing a career in business management, his interest in theology grew; subsequently, he pursued this study during his undergraduate education. He received his Masters of Divinity from Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois. Well-versed in the disciplines of comparative religions, cults, and philosophy, he held the chair of Evangelism and Contemporary Thought at Alliance Theological Seminary for three and a half years. Mr. Zacharias has been honored by the conferring of a Doctor of Divinity degree both from Houghton College, NY, and from Tyndale College and Seminary, Toronto, and a Doctor of Laws degree from Asbury College in Kentucky. He is presently a Visiting Professor at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University in Oxford, England.

At the invitation of Billy Graham he was a plenary speaker at the International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists in Amsterdam in 1983, 1986, and 2000. Mr. Zacharias has been a visiting scholar at Cambridge University, where he studied moralist philosophers and literature of the Romantic era. While at Cambridge he also authored his first book, A Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Atheism (Baker Book House, 1994, 2nd ed.), which in 2004 was updated and republished by Baker as The Real Face of Atheism. His second book, Can Man Live without God (Word Publishing, 1994), was awarded the Gold Medallion for best book in the category of doctrine and theology. Deliver Us from Evil (Word, 1996) followed with an accompanying video series. Cries of the Heart (Word, 1998) was his fourth book. His first children's book, The Merchant and the Thief (Chariot Victor), was released in 1999, followed by The Broken Promise (Chariot Victor, 2000). Jesus Among Other Gods (Word, 2000) was nominated for a Gold Medallion. The first in a series of great conversations, The Lotus and the Cross: Jesus Talks with Buddha was released by Multnomah in 2001, and the second, Sense and Sensuality: Jesus Talks with Oscar Wilde, in 2002. Mr. Zacharias' very personal response to the September 11th tragedy is Light in the Shadow of Jihad (Multnomah, 2002). Recapture the Wonder was released by Integrity Publishers in 2003 and I, Isaac Take Thee, Rebekah, a book on marriage, in February 2004 by the W Publishing Group. His latest work is Walking From East to West: God in the Shadows (with R.S.B. Sawyer) published by Zondervan (2006). Several of these books have been translated into many other languages including Russian, Arabic, Korean, and Thai.

Mr. Zacharias is listed as a distinguished lecturer with the Staley Foundation and has appeared on CNN and other international broadcasts. His weekly radio program, "Let My People Think," is broadcast over 1500 stations worldwide, and his weekday program, “Just Thinking,” began airing in November 2004. He is president of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional offices in Canada, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Zacharias and his wife, Margie, have three grown children

Monday, October 08, 2007

Say 'ello to the Good Guys: Part II

I continue my hit parade of sound, biblical teachers this week with a profile of Pastor John Piper.

What stands out about this faithful preacher of God's Word is his intense passion for the supremacy of God in all things. To hear this man preach is to come as close to the beatific vision of God as a human being can be before the actual triumphant return of Jesus Christ.

My life has been irreversibly impacted by his books, "Desiring God", "The Pleasures of God", "Future Grace" and "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ". If you are at all concerned with deepening your walk with Jesus, you simply must read these works.

"The ministry of preaching is the central labor of my life. My prayer is that through that ministry and everything else I do the great glory of our God and Savior Jesus Christ would be magnified as more and more people come to live out the obedience of faith more and more deeply."

John Stephen Piper was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee to Bill and Ruth Piper January 11, 1946. When John and his older sister were still small the Pipers moved to Greenville, South Carolina where John spent the rest of his growing-up years. His father was an itinerant evangelist who is still actively ministering through international radio and Bible courses. John has written a tribute to his mother, who died in 1974, in the booklet, "What's the Difference" (Crossway Books, 1990) which is also chapter one of the book, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (Crossway Books, 1991).

At Wheaton College (1964-68), John majored in Literature and minored in Philosophy. Studying Romantic Literature with Clyde Kilby stimulated the poetic side of his nature and today he regularly writes poems to celebrate special family occasions as well as composing story-poems (based on the life of a Biblical character) for his congregation during the four weeks of Advent each year. At Wheaton John also met Noel Henry whom he married 1968.

Following college he completed a Bachelor of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California (1968-71). While at Fuller, John took as many courses as he could from Dr. Daniel Fuller, the most influential "living" teacher in his life. Through Dr. Fuller he discovered the writings of Jonathan Edwards, his most influential "dead" teacher.

John did his doctoral work in New Testament Studies at the University of Munich, Munich, West Germany (1971-74). His dissertation, Love Your Enemies, was published by Cambridge University Press and Baker Book House. Upon completion of his doctorate he went on to teach Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota for six years (1974-80).

In 1980, sensing an irresistible call of the Lord to preach, John became the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he has been ministering ever since. Together with his people, John is dedicated to spreading a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.

John and Noël have four sons, a daughter, and an increasing number of grandchildren.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Say 'ello to the Good Guys!

Lest we believing Christians give in to what I call the Elijah Syndrome(see I Kings 19:1-18), I thought it would be beneficial to share with you some of those who faithfully uphold the blood-stained banner of true Christianity. I may have mistakenly taken for granted that most of you are familiar with the faithful teachers that I have referred to in this blog.

Although these teachers do have a wide following they are not all that recognized in the black church community. The reasons for this are many and I hope race is a very small part of those reasons. Yes, the teachers that I will highlight over the next few posts are white. This, however, is not intended to insinuate in any way that white preachers are more faithful than black preachers. It is my hope that now that we have greater opportunity and access to serious theological training, we will make even greater contributions to the "Queen of the sciences".

Albeit, on a stage that is not yet as widely known as that of these teachers, there is a growing number of strong, sound and reformed black preachers. Teachers such as: Michael Leach, Robert Benson, Anthony Carter, Lance Lewis, Ken Jones, Roger Skepple and many others are, by the grace of God, introducing many in the black community to the reformed perspective. With men such as these the future is bright for a resurgence (or should I say "surgence") of reformed theology among black Christians. I will make it a point to include links to the ministries of these and other black teachers at the end of these posts.

Now, to this week's featured teacher . . . Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Dr. Robert Charles Sproul was born in 1939 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries, which started as the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, more than thirty years ago. In an effort to respond more effectively to the growing demand for Dr. Sproul’s teachings and Ligonier’s other educational resources, the general offices were moved to Orlando, Florida, in 1984, and the ministry was renamed “Ligonier Ministries.”

Dr. R.C. Sproul is featured daily on Renewing Your Mind, an international radio broadcast that has aired for more than ten years with an estimated two million people tuning in every week on more than 235 radio outlets in the United States and throughout more than 40 countries. Dr. Sproul is a respected teacher, theologian, and pastor. He is currently serving as the director of Serve International, and as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida. Dr. Sproul is ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.

In addition, Dr. Sproul was the general editor of The Reformation Study Bible, which was also known as The New Geneva Study Bible, and he is the executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. As a prolific author he has written more than 60 books and scores of articles for national evangelical publications. Dr. Sproul has produced more than 300 lecture series and has recorded more than 80 video series on subjects such as the history of philosophy, theology, Bible study, apologetics, and Christian living. He signed the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, which affirmed the traditional view of biblical inerrancy, and he wrote a commentary on that document titled Explaining Inerrancy.

Dr. Sproul holds degrees from Westminster College, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and the Free University of Amsterdam, and he has had a distinguished academic teaching career at various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, and Jackson, Mississippi, and Knox Theological Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Personally, I credit Dr. Sproul as being the vessel God used to lead me out of man(self)-centered religion into Christ-centered Christianity. I came to embrace reformed theology through his radio program and through his book "Grace Unknown". Also very worthy of your perusal are his books: "The Holiness of God", "Chosen by God" and "Essential Truths of the Christian Faith". I truly thank God for Dr. Sproul's relentless desire to "awaken as many people as possible to the holiness of God by proclaiming, teaching, and defending His holiness in all its fullness."

Here is a small dose of Dr. R. C. Sproul . . .

I hope this introduction to Dr. Sproul will inspire you to look deeper into his ministry. Please visit the Ligonier Ministries web site